Transatlanticism
by MySilentLullaby
Summary: A series of short oneshots taking place between the events of Dead Space 2 and 3. Documenting the rise and inevitable fall of the relationship between Isaac and Ellie through sporadic, non-linear glimpses into their lives together while in hiding. Rated T for now, may change later on.
1. Silence

**Silence.**

There were many things about the vacuum of space that Isaac Clarke disliked. He didn't care much about the vast emptiness or the the fact he couldn't breathe without the use of his RIG's built in oxygen supply tank. He wasn't too impressed by nebulas or the brilliance of stars burning brightly from a million light-years away. He didn't care for the science behind how the void even existed. No, outer space was just another place to him. Another dangerous place set out to kill him. How terribly morbid.

What Isaac hated most about space though, was also what he liked most about it. It doesn't seem very possible to like something and hate it at the same time, but human emotions are strange, carnal entities that act however they want without any consideration as to what the person they're emoting from actually thinks. Like monsters, living inside us and tearing their way out.

Silence. That's what Isaac both liked and disliked. In the vast emptiness of space, no one could hear you scream or cry. Not if you shut off your communication system in your RIG that is. Nothing could be heard in space. All there ever was, was silence. Dead, cold, silence.

Isaac leaned back, floating limply in the zero gravity setting. He relaxed his old, tired muscles, aching from use. The former engineer closed his eyes and focused on the silence around him. Breathing in a deep breath of stale, recycled air from his RIG's oxygen unit, he tried hard to erase the thoughts now floating around in his head.

It had happened weeks ago, the events on Titan station, yet somehow he couldn't help but remember them as if they had only happened a few hours ago. Every little event stuck to his mind in vivid, terrifying detail. Like a nightmare he was forced to relive over and over again. This was far worse than the events on the Ishimura. _Far worse_. Because not only did he suffer another psychological breakdown due to a marker, he was now on the run from both EarthGov and the Unitologists.

What made him crack though was that he had brought a perfectly innocent person into this mess. Ellie Langford really had no business helping the likes of him. She didn't deserve to be put through his hell. And yet, she hadn't left his side since she saved his ass after he destroyed the marker on Titan station. It was like they had been friends for years, even though they barely knew each other then.

Isaac was grateful for her help, both in his attempt to escape the marker and in his relentless escape from the eyes of the government. But that still didn't stop him from feeling guilty for dragging her into hiding with him. She deserved better - the chance to live her life without fear of being arrested or murdered.

He sucked in another deep breath and glanced around through the narrow visor of his helmet. The bluish tinge of the backlight in the visor gave his surroundings a rather sickly feel, but he was already quite used to it by now. The former engineer had spent years working with this lighting and couldn't be bothered to change it now.

The silence was overwhelming by now. Deafening, even. But somehow Isaac found it peaceful. He shoved his horrid thoughts away and focused on the lack of noise, focused on his breathing. For all he cared his oxygen could run out and he wouldn't notice. All that mattered now was the gentle sensation of floating in space and the lack of anything to distract him.

But it seemed his ghosts didn't like that and came back to haunt him rather quickly. For some reason, the first thing he thought of was Nicole. And why wouldn't he? He still missed her immensely, he still loved her immensely as well. But he could only remember the marker's influence on him; forcing her ghost to try and convince him of convergence and casting her as some wicked, twisted entity. He clutched at his helmet, eyes scrunching as he grunted and told himself he made the right decision by leaving her - leaving the ghost of her that is - behind. It wasn't actually her. He had to keep reminding himself of that. She was dead and gone with the Ishimura. He destroyed her ghost with the Marker on Titan station.

He couldn't handle this though. The pain of heartbreak still haunted him. Nicole had been his soulmate, the love of his life. He still felt guilty for her death, even if it really wasn't his fault, he still wasn't able to get over the fact that he couldn't get to her in time.

He could feel the tears stinging at his eyes now. Curling in on himself he felt himself floating off in the void of space. He wanted to scream out, yell, shout do anything that would make him feel better but he knew it would all be useless. He'd just feel guilty again later. The silence was worse than deafening now. He was being suffocated by it, the silence consuming him like the monster it truly was.

"Isaac? What are you doing floating about out there? I've found the coordinates to a moon base in a galaxy not far from here. There's hardly any Unitologist influence there so we should be safe for awhile. Still, there's EarthGov we have to look out for," The voice over his communications system broke the silence. He'd forgotten to turn it off...

"Right... I was just... relaxing. I'll be back at the ship in a minute Ellie. Isaac out," He replied, instantly relaxing at the sound of Ellie's voice. If there was one thing that could pull him from the horrors of silence, it was her.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey! This is my first Dead Space fanfic! I'm more used to writing Portal fanfics to be honest. The chapters in this story will each be a short drabble, two-three pages max and they will not be linear. Meaning one may take place two weeks after DS2, the next chapter: two years later, etc. you get the idea right? Anyways. Enjoy Silence. Bonus points if you understand the reference the title of this "story" is to.


	2. Together

**Together**

Ellie watched him carefully. He was shaking, whether it was in fear or shock or from the cold she couldn't tell. She'd never seen him so beat up like this... so sick. And when she'd first met him he had just escape the psychiatric ward on Titan station. Even then he seemed to be more composed - as mature and stoic as ever.

Yet here he was, Isaac Clarke, intelligent and serious engineer, lying in bed with the covers wrapped tightly around him, shivering and whimpering like a child who'd just been witness to a traumatic event. Reduced to nothing but a blubbering baby. Ellie couldn't begin to wonder what he'd been through. But he was back now. He was safe and she wanted him to know that.

She reached out and gently touched his shoulder. The older man flinched away and yelped, making Ellie involuntarily jump as well. "Shhhh! It's just me! I won't hurt you, you know that. I'll never hurt you Isaac," She cooed, hesitant to try and reach out to him again.

Isaac turned to look up at her, his whole body seeming to relax at the sight of her. "Ellie..." He sighed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He reached up, his hand cupping her face gently. His skin was rough and calloused against hers, she could feel the cracks and crevices where he had worked himself too hard - cutting open the skin and bleeding, eventually leaving tiny scars behind as reminders of his triumphs and downfalls.

"You're safe Isaac. We've escaped them again," Ellie was referring of course to the Unitologists or EarthGov or whoever was after them at this point. It felt like no matter where they went they were being chased after. It didn't matter _who_ was chasing them. All that mattered was that Isaac was a wanted man.

"Are you... You're alright?" He asked, as she leaned into his hand. He gazed up at her, the dark circles around his light blue eyes giving way his age. Ellie could feel his eyes staring at her, almost staring right into her. She could never get used to that intense stare... It didn't bother her, it just wasn't something she was quite used to yet.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," She replied softly. "It's you we should be worried about. What happened? What did they do to you?"

Isaac shook his head frantically and rolled back over to face the wall. Ellie could tell he didn't want to talk about it, but she couldn't see him like this anymore. She tried to coax it out of him, gently rubbing his arm she leaned in close and whispered softly in his ear, "Isaac... If you don't tell me, you'll never let it go."

"Don't. Don't do this Ellie," Isaac warned her, sitting up and glaring at her with his piercing eyes. "You don't want to know what happened to me while I was gone... I... I don't wanna hurt you like that."

Her heart broke. He was a broken man inside, the events he'd witnessed, been forced to go through, they'd all been a part of his decline in mental health. Yet after everything he'd been through all he cared about was her well being. He didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to corrupt her with the harsh truths of his past. They'd already been through so much together - she'd seen horrors she would never wish on anyone - but he still thought of her as the innocent beacon of light in his life.

Ellie gave up, she wouldn't push him anymore. He'd come around eventually. She kept telling herself that. And even if he didn't it wouldn't matter, he'd have a good reason. Reaching over and cupping his face in her hands, she pressed her forehead against his and stared into his eyes. "Alright... Just don't scare me like that again, okay?"

He smirked, much calmer now that she was nearby and nodded, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. Ellie returned the smile and leaned in closer, her eyes sliding shut. She felt his hands rest comfortably on the small of her back as she pressed her lips against his.

The kiss didn't last very long. He pulled away quickly, like he always did, as if he was ashamed with what he was doing and didn't want to get caught. She never understood why he did it, but she knew he meant no harm when he did. Maybe because he was terrified Ellie would end up like his last girlfriend. Isaac rarely spoke of Nicole, but he kept her picture hanging above his desk, next to the countless photos of Ellie and him. Or perhaps he was afraid of something else? Whatever the case, his kisses rarely lasted longer than a few seconds at most.

Ellie stared into his eyes, reflecting the image of herself back at her. Her own eyes filled with worry for him. She sighed and gave him a small smile, trying to comfort him. "Are you alright now?"

He nodded, tossing the covers to the side and standing up. She could tell he was still shaking, though definitely not as violently as he was before. She watched as he headed over to the dresser and pulled out a plain white t-shirt, slipping it over his head and tugging it down. "I'm fine... Now that I know you're here."

Ellie stood up, walking over to him and burying her face in his shirt, hugging him tightly. She breathed in his scent, he was still a little sweaty, a musky scent that wasn't normal for him unless hard at work. She turned her head and spoke softly, "I'll always be here for you Isaac. We'll get through this together, you'll see."

He said nothing. Which wasn't abnormal for the engineer. He had always been a shy, soft-spoken person. Quite the opposite to the social butterfly Ellie had always been referred to. But there was a sense that he understood her and that he wanted nothing more than to make sure that everything would turn out well for them.

Ellie stood back, flashing a grin at him and heading towards the door leading out of the room. "C'mon, you're probably starved. Let's go get something to eat, yeah?"

Isaac flashed a big smile, "Yeah. Sounds good..."

He began to follow her but she stopped him, glancing down at his legs and then back up at him before chuckling, "Maybe you should get a pair of jeans or something on first."

She giggled, watching him blush, his face contorting into a bashful scowl as he turned and scooped his jeans up off floor and pulled them on quickly. She'd never sen him so embarrassed before. It was kind of endearing to watch.

Finally they made their way out of the apartment, hand in hand they walked down the hallways and out into the busy streets of the city. Ellie felt Isaac tense up, instantly on the lookout for anyone who was after him. She gave his hand a little squeeze and lead him down the street to her favorite little fast food joint. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him her little silent way of saying, _Don't worry, we're together._

* * *

**A/N: **Howdy! I had a lot of fun writing this! (Not really, I was kinda depressed heh) Anyways I read something about Isaac being captured at one point during the time between DS2 and DS3 so this is loosely based off the aftermath of that scenario. Anyways, I'm not sure if anything is correct or whatever so please let me know. D: Enjoy!


	3. A Whole New Feeling

**A Whole New Feeling**

He'd only known her a few months and already he could tell there was something about Ellie Langford that was different than anyone else. He'd first noticed his feelings changing when she smiled at him one day after he'd told her one of his cheesy jokes to try and lighten the mood. His heart pounded a little faster in his chest and he felt euphoric the moment the corners of her lips stretched upwards and revealed her brilliant white teeth in a smile so bright it could blind someone.

Isaac never thought he'd get over the death of his girlfriend, Nicole. She had been his everything. He had even planned on asking her to marry him one day... But all that had changed when she took the job on the USG Ishimura. All those wasted years of flirting and love, all those dreams he had for his future, everything crumbled into dust and slipped through his fingers as if nothing mattered anymore when he watched that video on the Ishimura. Nicole was dead. There was nothing that could fill the aching hole in his heart now.

But then he had met Ellie. At first, she didn't seem to like him, her sassy attitude and snarky remarks made that clear. But the more she realized she needed Isaac's help to survive - the more she got to know him - the more she opened up to him. She became much more friendlier and promised she'd be there for him while they survived the horrors on Titan station. Isaac was more than grateful to have someone on his side, and was even surprised when she came back to save him moments before his certain death. She was a true friend to him, and he couldn't be more grateful.

But here he was, seven (or was it eight?) months later, watching her snake her way through the crowds to get back to her tiny one bedroom apartment a few blocks away from his own. He was starting to notice things about her he had never noticed before. Like how her hair had this wonderful shine to it when she was under a bright light or how her giggling at his corny jokes made his heart flutter in his chest. She had a way with words too, her accent made her voice sound lovely. He had known her for so many months now and yet he learned something new about her everyday. And he wanted to. He wanted to know everything about her from her favorite movie to how she took her coffee in the morning. The more he got closer to her, the more he started noticing the little things about her. He was fascinated by her.

"Hey! Are you coming? I'm going to lose you in this crowd if you don't hurry. We just _had_ to take the main roads didn't we?" Ellie's voice called out over the heads of busy business men and women. Isaac, luckily tall enough, could see where she was and quickly made his way towards her. He glanced around nervously as he did so, a habit of his, now that he was a wanted criminal.

"What's the hurry?" he asked, smirking, though there was a hint of suspicion in his voice. "You've been secretive all day... what have you got planned?"

"I told you it's a surprise..." Ellie returned the smirk and made her way towards her apartment building. Her hips swayed as she walked, another thing Isaac had noticed about her recently, one he wasn't so proud of noticing. He had to focus his attention on the back of her head as she lead him up the front steps and into the lobby of the tiny apartment building. Nicole would be rolling in her grave if she could see him now.

Isaac had always liked her apartment. It was cozier and more... welcoming than his. Then again, his was full of junk and dirty clothes strewn about. He was never really the organized type. Ellie had a cleaner, more well-kept place and often times he wondered why she was so neat and tidy, considering her rough around the edges personality. She didn't really seem the type to keep things organized, but then again, that's what he was starting to like more and more about her. There was always something unexpected about her.

Ellie turned to look at him, a little smirk appearing as she walked to the elevator and hit the button to go up. "You'll love it, I promise."

Isaac didn't say a word, he was just happy to be here with her. He enjoyed her presence, it made him feel happy again - normal even. Whenever she was nearby he felt safe, like he could forget everything that had happened to them both and just move on. She was his saving grace - his break from the nightmares and hallucinations telling him to converge and build more markers. Ellie was something solid - she was real.

"Before you ask me something lame like if it's your birthday, it's not... I just... felt like doing something nice for once," Ellie explained as they reached her apartment door. She gave him a quick smirk over her shoulder, her single blue eye gleaming in the dim lighting of the hallway. Isaac felt a pang of guilt as he gazed at her eyepatch. He still didn't have enough credits to get her a new eye and it was all his fault she lost it in the first place...

"Wasn't gonna," Isaac laughed, trying to push the guilt back so he wouldn't dampen the mood, "When have you ever done anything nice for once? This is new..."

"Shut up or you'll get face-full of my fist!" She threatened, but her tone of voice and the smile on her face said otherwise. She turned and punched in her code in the keypad, a small beep notifying that she had successfully unlocked the door and it was now ready to be opened. Her hand flicked over to the bright blue hologram circle and the "In progress" warning came up.

They waited for a short minute or two in silence before the door slid open and let them both inside the tiny apartment. Isaac's eyes widened as he noticed Ellie hadn't tidied up like she usually did when she knew someone was coming over. A few stray items of laundry were strewn about the living area, as if she had been in the middle of folding and putting it away when she left.

"Your laundry is the surprise?" He asked, a little disappointed. The question earned him a dirty glare and a snappy "No!"

"Your surprise is in the kitchen... I remembered you saying something about how much you like chocolate chip cookies, so I baked some!" She seemed extremely pleased with herself, confident in her baking skills.

"You? Baking?" Isaac burst out into laughter, "You're kidding right?" He almost doubled over in laughter, little creases appearing near his eyes, he hadn't laughed this hard in years.

Ellie scowled, "Hey! I may be really bad at cooking but I worked really hard to bake you these!" She stomped into the kitchen and came back out with a plateful of oddly shaped, but edible looking cookies. "I had to throw out the first few batches cause I didn't get the recipe right..." She blushed, the freckles speckling her nose and cheeks becoming more apparent, as she offered the plate to Isaac.

Isaac felt bad for laughing, she had put her heart and soul into making the cookies for him after all. "They look great Ellie, thank you..." He smiled, though he felt like perhaps that wasn't the response she was looking for.

Her eye cast downwards at her feet and she blushed a deeper shade of red as she replied, "Yeah, no problem Isaac... Just... thought you needed something sweet to... To make your day better, that's all."

It was then he noticed something entirely new. He could see it in the way she was acting and the way she spoke. She was nervous - something he'd never seen her emote before. Her voice was soft too, she sounded so young... like a schoolgirl with a crush. Isaac's eyes widened as he realized what this new feeling really was.

He took the plate from her and set it down on the coffee table before taking both her hands in his. Ellie's gaze instantly shot up to meet with his, her smile fading to a confused expression. "Ellie..." His voice was low as he stared into her eye, a smile slowly split across his face.

"What...?" She asked, face as bright as a cherry now. "Isaac?"

Isaac leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, his hands cupping her face gently as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment, fingers threading through her hair.

Ellie tensed up at first, she didn't understand why all of a sudden her best friend was kissing her, but she relaxed slowly as she realized her feelings had grown to more than just friends. And apparently his had too.

Isaac was surprised when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. But before things could get too heated he decided it was time to pull away, smiling dreamily as he did so.

"I... I love you," He finally admitted. That was what this new feeling was, wasn't it? The attraction, the want to be intimate, the feeling in his chest whenever he so much as heard her name. That was love. He loved her and there was no stopping it. He recognized the signs when he was with Nicole, and now he was recognizing them here with Ellie.

Ellie gazed up at him in awe for a moment before her lips curled upwards into a huge grin. "God you are such a Nerd," She began, her voice breathy, "I love you too."

Everything that was wrong with the universe - with him - was gone. In that very moment, Isaac Clarke was the happiest man in the universe. There was a new feeling running through him that moment too. Excitement. Excitement because the one person he loved more than anyone in all of the Sol loved him back. And that was all he could ever want.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey! Long time no update! So here's some fluff. Basically how I thought their relationship began. Anyways I'm starting work and summer school soon so I may be a little slow with updates. I was listening to Heros by David Bowie while writing this. Enjoy!


	4. Sins

**Sins**

Isaac had developed a bit of a drinking problem. It wasn't serious, but he could tell that it was starting to affect others around him. But what else was he supposed to do for entertainment? He couldn't go out, there was too much of a chance he would get caught. He was a wanted criminal after all... And he was getting sick and tired of surfing the internet and watching television. There wasn't anything very interesting on either besides the same old news reports of him still being on the run and porn. Both of which seemed to bore him these days. He hated seeing his face plastered all over like he was some sort of celebrity and porn... Well, now that he was with Ellie there wasn't much use for that anymore, was there?

Ellie. The name was sweet on his lips and instantly made him smile the moment she came to mind. She had been through a lot with him. She was accused of being his accomplice only to have her name cleared a few months after the events of the sprawl. He had the chance to let her go. She had the chance to leave him and never return - live a life where she could do what she wanted and not have to hide from the law. But she hadn't taken that chance. Instead she had slipped her hand into his and and said in that beautiful accent of hers, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay with you till the very end, Clarke."

And low and behold she had. Sort of. Isaac had nothing better to do than sit at home and get drunk. It was a pastime he wasn't proud of but it helped him forget. Helped him forget Nicole, The Sprawl, Ishimura, everything. He hated talking about it. He hated relieving the nightmares and the memories that plagued him. Alcohol made it all disappear, so alcohol became a crutch to depend on.

Ellie had gone out. No doubt to pick up groceries or do laundry or something. When Isaac awoke, he had a pounding migraine and a face covered in stubble that hadn't been shaved for at least a week. He groaned and rolled out of bed, glancing quickly at the note Ellie had left him asking to take the trash out. Since they had begun to live together they seemed to have fallen into a very comfortable routine. That was one thing he enjoyed about living with someone, especially Ellie.

He staggered over to the bathroom and stared at himself in the mirror, crows feet lined his eyes and greying hair betrayed his age. How he had ended up dating a young woman like Ellie he had no idea. Nicole had at least been a couple years younger than him, but Ellie... She was at least a decade his junior, perhaps more.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and scowling at his appearance, he checked the time; it as nearly 1pm. How he had ended up sleeping in so late was another question he'd never be able to answer. But at least he was sleeping again... That was a plus.

He made his way into the small kitchenette, passing the coffee machine and heading straight for the fridge. Yanking it open, he heard it kick in and whir to life as it tried to keep everything frosty cold while the door was open. Isaac cursed it as the lights flickered, knowing he should have fixed it back when the damn thing broke, but at this point he just didn't care anymore. Reaching in he pulled out a glass bottle - beer. "Breakfast of champions..." He muttered under his breath and popped the cap off, quickly taking a swig and heading back into the main room where he sat on the couch and flicked on the TV.

Ellie didn't come home until later that evening. She had been working again. She had a small part-time job as a transport pilot for a small moving company. She walked into the apartment and headed straight for the shower - immediately wanting to get rid of the layer of sweat that covered her body. Isaac hardly noticed her walk in.

When she sat down beside him, dressed simply in one of his old t-shirts and a pair of loose lounge pants, he cocked a brow at her, "Hey, how was work?"

"Sucked. Like always, but I'm home now. You want to order take out?" She replied pleasantly, rubbing a towel through her still damp hair.

" 'm not hungry," Isaac muttered, keeping his eyes fixated on the holoscreen in front of him. He was already mid-way through his 8th beer that day and it was clear from his slurring words and depressed attitude that he was drunk.

"When did you start drinking today?" Ellie asked, two-toned eyes narrowing at the amount of clutter piled on the coffee table. He hadn't taken the trash out, that was for sure.

"I dunno. Noon," He mumbled, slightly ashamed.

"I thought I asked you to take the trash out... Did you not see my note? I left it in your RIGlink..." Ellie was getting annoyed, this was the third time this week she'd come home and he was already wasted. "Isaac, I asked you to do one little thing..."

"SHUT UP!" He yelled, clenching his eyes shut. Her nagging only made his migraine worse. Hell everything was making the migraine worse.

Ellie stood up and glared angrily at him. Her new eye - the one he'd made sure she gotten - shone a little more darker than her natural one in the dim lighting of the apartment. "I think you've had enough Isaac... Give me the beer," She demanded calmly.

"I'm fine! I'm just grumpy, I'm sorry," He tried to apologize and took another quick swig from the bottle in his hand.

"You're drunk... again! You know usually I'd be all for getting drunk, but the fact that you do it almost every damn day really tells me something, Isaac," Ellie's voice was stern - like a mother scolding a child. Isaac cringed and turned away, not wanting to look at her deadly stare at the moment. Her tone reminded him of his mother and he wanted nothing to do with her at the moment.

"I'm not drunk..."

"You are, and I'm getting sick of it. Give me the bottle, now Isaac," Ellie warned, reaching around him and yanking the bottle out of his grasp.

"WELL MAYBE IF YOU DIDN'T NAG AT ME ALL THE TIME AND MAYBE IF I WASN'T ON UNOFFICIAL HOUSE ARREST, I'D HAVE A BETTER HOBBY THAN DRINKING MY LIFE AWAY," Isaac swung his arm out, clipping a few of the bottles on the table and knocking them to the ground. Ellie gasped as they shattered and stepped back, afraid he might hit her next. "What else is there to do in this shithole slum, Ellie? Hm? Tell me."

Ellie scowled at him. How dare he shout at her like that. "Well maybe if you got up off your ass and did something with your life you wouldn't be complaining now would you?" She paused, her breathing becoming heavier and her facial features twisting into a more upset look rather than the angry scowl she'd sported before.

"Shut the fuck up Ellie. Not everyone has had their name cleared like you," He growled. He felt like strangling her, the voices in his head certainly thought it would be a good idea, but he knew better and resorted to slamming his fist down on the coffee table instead.

The noise had startled her, he heard her let out a tiny yelp and her feet pitter patter against the floor as she backed away again. He looked up to see her eyes were full of terror, she was genuinely scared of him. He had horrified her to the point that she was shaking. A twinge of guilt ran through him but he wasn't gonna give up just yet. She had started this fight, he was gonna make sure he had the last word when it ended.

"Y-you can sleep on the couch tonight then," She said defiantly. "I don't want to be near you now..."

"This is my apartment, Ellie..."

"I'm the one who pays the bills."

She had a point. Touche. But that didn't stop him from opening his fat mouth again, "Good. I don't wanna sleep next to you anyways..."

"Fine, have it your way, here's your fucking beer you useless prick," She finally spat, pulling her hand back and throwing the bottle across the room. It hit the wall behind him and shattered with a loud crack. Isaac had to duck and cover his head with his arms to protect himself from the shards of glass and leftover beer falling on him.

"THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?" He shouted, head snapping up to meet his gaze with hers. He was raging now, standing up he bounded towards her and pinned her against the wall, teeth barred in a display of hostility. The fear in her eyes increased as she winced away from him, letting out a sob. She had begun crying, he'd never seen her cry before and he had made her cry. More guilt flowed through him.

There was a thick silence as they stared at each other, contemplating what their next moves should be. After about ten minutes, Isaac let go, steaming with rage still, but calm enough to collect his thoughts.

"Were you always like this?" Her voice was soft and frightened, but broke the over welcomed silence. "Did you ever treat Nicole as badly? I feel sorry for her if you did..."

Isaac's expression dropped at the mention of his late girlfriend. He had never treated her as horribly as he had just treated Ellie. This was the alcohol talking, he'd never act so harshly towards Ellie if he was sober. He wouldn't dream of hurting her.

"Ellie I... I'm so sorry," He pleaded, "Ellie I would never hurt you. I'd never hurt you, you know that... You're right I'm drunk and I just... I'm angry at everyone and everything right now and I'm so sorry... please."

She stepped away from the wall, shaking still as tiny sobs left her. She pushed past him and headed into the kitchen. Isaac didn't follow, he didn't want to make her even more uncomfortable. He knew what she was capable of doing and he didn't want to make her feel trapped.

He heard the fridge whirr to life again and moments later she came back with a plate full of leftovers and her own bottle of beer. She didn't say a word to him as she passed by and sat down on the couch, avoiding the broken bits of glass and slowly beginning to eat. Her eyes focused on the holoscreen, playing some old cowboy movie from the twentieth century.

Isaac stood and watched her for a few moments before sitting down next to her. Not too close like he usually would, he didn't want to scare her off. They sat in silence, the only noise was the sound of the movie and the occasional sound of her chewing on something that looked like bok choy.

Finally when she was almost done she spoke up, "I'll clean up..."

"No... I will... you had a long day, and I still need to take out the trash," He smiled up at her, in his drunken state she was the only thing keeping him sober at the moment.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and her once hard gaze finally softened. "Thank you... I'm sorry for getting mad at you," She sighed.

"Don't apologize... It's my fault... I should lay off the alcohol for awhile," Isaac replied, avoiding her gaze. Why were apologies so god damn hard?

"I was so afraid you were actually going to hurt me..." She whispered.

"I dunno what I was thinking. I'm sorry... I don't know what I'd have done if I had actually been able to go through with that. Ellie, believe me when I say I would never let myself live it down if I did anything to hurt you," He quickly replied, his voice frantic and pleading with her. His hands quickly wrapped around hers and he turned to look at her. To his surprise she was looking back to him, the hint of a smile on her face.

"I know... I know," She whispered somberly. "You're too good of a person Isaac. You aren't like that."

She leaned in close, eyes shutting as she pressed her lips to his and kissed him gently. When she pulled away she had only one thing to say: "I forgive you."

The corners of his lips pulled up into a smile and he could still taste her sweet kiss. She was there for him. Through thick and thin.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey there! Thanks for reading! I'm so surprised everyone is liking these little drabbles! This one was actually inspired by a headcanon a friend I RP with came up with. The headcanon was that when Isaac was in hiding he became a heavy drinker and Ellie ended up helping him through it. Anyways, I enjoyed writing this one a whole lot! Again, thanks for reading and thank you to all the really kind reviewers who have sent such inspiring and lovely words so far!


	5. The Spark

**The Spark**

Ellie is staring at the holoscreen. There's a look of pure terror in her eyes as she listens to the newscaster describe the gruesome events that had occurred on a nearby colony only a few days ago. Her breathing quickens, a shiver runs down her spine. It's happening again and there's nothing she can do about it.

Isaac is at his desk, focused on fixing her RIG for her. He is barely paying attention to the news, his concentration is key if he is to get this thing working properly again. He bites his lip, hides the screwdriver from Ellie's line of sight and carefully... Carefully...

"Isaac," Ellie's voice interrupts his thoughts. He quickly shoves the screwdriver back in its drawer and spins around in his chair to look at her.

"Hmm?"

"Are you listening to this? There's more of them out there! There's more Markers? D-did you know about this?" Her voice mimics her eyes' terror, shaky and sounding on the verge of tears.

Isaac takes a split second to stare at the screen. He hadn't had an episode in a few months. He believed he was getting better, but the sight on the screen made everything come rushing back - the horrors, the nightmares, the delusions and paranoia. He clamps his jaw tightly as an image of a Marker shows up on screen. He balls his hands into fists to keep from scratching the fake leather of his chair.

"Well? Isaac?" Ellie asks again, waiting for his answer.

He always had some inkling that there were others. He just never believed they'd be so close. He had no intention of ever dealing with a Marker threat ever again. He had made a life for himself here. He had a loving girlfriend, a roof over his head, food on the table, clothes on his back, why would he ever want to change that? Everything that was in the past was just that, in the past.

"No," he lies, "I had no idea..."

Ellie nods slowly, continues to watch the news coverage. They sit in silence, listening to the anchorwoman calmly report on the tragedy.

"The Markers are commonly referred to as holy artifacts for the Church of Unitology, but have been recently used in test labs for experimentation due to their seemingly unlimited power supply. It is yet unknown if the attack on Callisto Colony is a work of sabotage from famed Unitologist Jacob Arthur Danik or if it was simply a freak accident."

Isaac, now turned back to his work, slams his fist against the table. "Shut it off Ellie. Please."

She shakes her head, though he can't see it and replies softly, "I think we should go... The people there may need our help..."

Isaac's eyes widen and he freezes, heart stopping dead. He shakes his head and turns to look her dead in the eye. "They're already dead. Callisto is a three week trip. By the time we get there, there'll be nothing left," He explains, throwing his hands up dramatically as his voice rises. He isn't in the mood to argue about this right now. He isn't in the mood to argue at all.

Ellie's eyes are glued to the holoscreen, she barely notices him, she flinches as she hears his rising voice though. "There are others..." She whispers, Isaac can hardly hear her voice over the sound of the Newscaster, now moving onto a different story.

"There are others..." He repeats, his voice lowering to a whisper as well. He looks down at the carpet under his feet, smudged with dirt and grime from forgetting to take off his shoes.

There is silence between the two lovers. The holoscreen cuts to a commercial; a strikingly beautiful woman in a scantily clad bikini gives Ellie bedroom eyes and poses dramatically against a clearly fake backdrop as a soothing voice advertises Peng. Isaac turns back to his drawings, the chair squeaking slightly.

"You lied to me..." Ellie speaks, Isaac freezes again and holds his breath.

"You lied to me about knowing of the other Markers..."

"What makes you think that, El?" Isaac asks, brow raised and back still turned towards her. He fears turning around might cause her to lash out. He wants nothing more than to forget any of this has happened.

"Your drawings... You don't seem to notice them, but sometimes, when you're not really paying attention - staring off into space, that sort of thing... you'll scribble on your holopad. The shapes of Markers and Unitology symbols and scribbles in the unitology scrawl... You always end up deleting them shortly after but I've caught glimpses of them," She confesses. "I remember you scribbling the same phrase over and over... 'there are more'..."

Isaac can feel his head starting to pound. He runs an old cracked hand through his greying hair and shakes his head again. He opens his mouth to speak but is immediately cut off by Ellie continuing.

"You mumble... In your sleep. When you do sleep, that is. 'Make us whole', 'Convergence is unavoidable', 'There are more'..." She sighs and Isaac can hear the pain in her voice, the tears in her eyes. "I want to help Isaac... You are getting better... but you won't be completely better if you don't do something about these other Markers..."

Isaac licks his lips and swallows the lump that has formed in his throat, "Let's talk about this later Ellie... Please."

The newscaster is on the screen again, re-reporting on the events of Callisto Colony. "It's been two and half years since the incident on Titan station in which famed terrorist Isaac Clarke attacked and destroyed the Marker testing facility along with most of the Sprawl. Clarke was one of the sole survivors of the Aegis VII and Ishimura incidents five years ago. It is unclear whether or not he has anything to do with Danik's recent attacks or if Clarke has anything to do with the situations at all. Isaac Clarke was last seen on the flight deck of New Hor-"

"Shut it off. Now."

Ellie doesn't hesitate to do as she's told this time and the holoscreen immediately goes dim. She sits back and sighs, "Happy now?"

"Yes... Thank you."

Isaac sits in silence for a long time, staring at the scribbles on the holopad in front of him. Ellie clears her throat and stands up, her feet padding across the carpet towards the kitchen. She returns a moment later and hands him a cup of coffee, which he takes eagerly and smiles his thanks.

She doesn't return the smile. Instead she walks slowly towards the bedroom door, and glances over her shoulder weakly at him.

"Don't stay up all night... Please," Her voice is almost pleading. She disappears as the bedroom door slides shut. The only sound that fills the silence is the hum of the fridge in the kitchen and Isaac's slow, rhythmic breathing as he tries to calm himself down.

"There are more..." he whispers into the dark and turns back to his work.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey! Long time no update! I'm sorry about that. I've been busy working my butt off all summer to pay for books this upcoming semester. Things are starting to get a little sad. Don't worry, next one will be a little happier I promise! Please leave a review! Thanks!


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